Jordan: Protesters Call for End to Peace with Israel

Protesters in Jordan call to fight corruption, expel the Israeli embassy and end the peace treaty with Israel.

By Maayana Miskin

First Publish: 5/21/2011, 11:43 PM / Last Update: 5/22/2011, 2:07 AM

Agencia Brasil

Protesters in Jordan mixed pro-reform protests with anti-Israel activism on Friday, calling both to fight corruption and adopt political change and to end the peace treaty with Israel. Thousands took part in protests in Amman and elsewhere, including one protest near the Israeli embassy.

Demonstrators called to shut down the embassy.

At least two of the demonstrations in Amman were organized by the Islamic-led opposition, local unions, and the Muslim Brotherhood, local media outlets reported.

In addition to protesting the peace treaty, they expressed anger over the fact that police used force on Sunday to prevent Jordanians from storming the Israeli border.

Organizers also directed their anger at the United States. Muslim Brotherhood leader Zaki Ersheid said America “enables corruption, and creates corrupt governments in the region.”

The protests Friday followed three weeks of relative quiet. Demonstrators were deliberately quiet in order to give the government time to implement reforms, primarily the drafting of new laws for political parties and elections.

In Egypt as well, the protest movement that toppled former President Hosni Mubarak has also supported demonstrations against the peace treaty with Israel. The Muslim Brotherhood was involved in organizing some protests in Egypt, and now hopes to win at least one third of the seats in the next parliament.